Bedding for coop (Ducks and Chickens)

[Duck mommy 2019]

When you say shavings what are you referring to pine shavings? I have been told using rice straw is really bad for mites so now I'm really confused. I have ducks, chickens, and guineas so not sure what to use. I clean rice straw daily but I know it doesn't absorb moisture. I have baby chicks, and 2, 3, 4 and 5 month old chicks. What is best for them?

yes, pine shavings. i’ve tried all types of bedding including straw, hay, pine shaving, blankets, and more. and pine shavings seems to be the cleanest and most comfortable for the ducks

 

[Gray Farms]

I use pine shavings for everything. Geese, ducks, chickens, guineas, peafowl, turkey

 

[Jeanw]

I use pine shavings in the coop and a mix of straw and pine savings in the nest boxes for my chickens. Works very well.

 

[cmom]

I use pine shavings and sprinkle poultry/livestock dust in them. I also treat the coops and birds if I find any pests on them such as mites.

 

[Manhen]

I use pine shavings in the coop and put fresh straw in the nests in the egg room. The straw ends up on the floor which I routinely removed from the coop. Shavings go under the roost and on the floor in areas where there are no nests. My coop is large 700 square feet, so the cost is formidable. I use deep litter method underneath the roost so the cost is managed a little better. My straw is from 25 year old bales! They've been up in The hayloft that long.

 

[Trisseh]

I use stall dry (wood pellets meant for horse stalls) on the bottom of my duck house, on top of rubber mats. I put about a 1” layer of those down, takes 2 bags to cover my 4x5 house. Then I put barley straw down. Yes, they’re messy in the straw, but they turn it themselves and I spot clean it where there’s feces or spilled water and top up with fresh stuff daily. I only clean out the entire thing maybe twice a year, because of those few minutes picking spots. Lol. No different than picking a stall in my opinion. xD
My chickens have their own coop but I still use straw because it’s easily accessible to me and cheap, I live and work in an agricultural area. In their coop, I put down a feed bag, straw on top. They stir it up on the daily, and when it gets too dirty I pick up the feed bag and dump the whole thing into my compost pile.

 

[cmom]

I also use the pine shavings in the nest boxes. They do scratch some of it out onto the floor which is ok. I do now and then refresh the shavings in the nest boxes. Works for me. Good luck...